The present invention relates in general to multi-level incandescent lamp illumination control switch devices having a switch activator of a unique toy-type construction, and more particularly to a three-level luminescent lamp control switch structure and Rubik's cube type spatial logical toy activator setting the lamp to different intensities levels or off condition magnetically responsive to positioning of the Rubik's cube activator.
Spatial logical toys of the Rubik's cube type are well known, having achieved significant commercial acceptance in the marketplace and being disclosed in Hungarian Pat. No. 170,062, which describes and illustrates the particular form of the spatial logical toy made up of twenty-seven three dimensional small cubic elements assembled to form a three dimensional solid "large cube" in the assembled state. In this particular form disclosed in the Hungarian patent and as predominantly marketed, the small cubic elements may be turned along the spatial axes of the cube by means of connecting elements arranged in the geometric center of the large cube, and in practice the surfaces of the small cubic elements forming each face of the large cube are colored or carry numbers, figures or other symbols which can be assembled into the predetermined logical order or sequence by simultaneously rotating any of the nine cubic elements forming one of the faces of the large cube.
Variations of the basic twenty-seven element Rubik's cube are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,378,116 showing an eighteen cube element assembly, and 4,378,117 showing and describing an eight cube element assembly.
The present invention involves the concept of incorporating magnets at selected small cubic elements of a conventional Rubik's cube or similar spatial logical toy of three dimensional cube form or solid rectangular form, coactive with a switch assembly base structure in which the Rubik's cube can be removably placed to magnetically activate switches, such as reed switches, in a circuit arrangement adapted to activate an incandescent lamp at any of three intensity levels or place the lamp supply circuit in an off condition depending on the position of the Rubik's cube activator on the base. More specifically, a conventional Rubik's cube in accordance with the present invention is to be provided with two concealed button magnets of small size, incorporated as by retrofitting them in two of the small cubic elements of the Rubik's cube at predetermined positions, together with provision of a base structure having a printed circuit board and magnetic reed switches and electronic components incorporated thereon, adapted to be interposed by an intercepting or "piggy-back" type plug/socket connector interposed in the supply line for an incandescent lamp. For example, the interceptor plug/socket is plugged into the supply outlet in the building wall from which the lamp is to be electrically supplied, with the lamp supply cord plug coupled into the intercept plug/socket, whereby the magnets when positioned in a specific order act as a key or control code to allow the switch control circuit in the base portion to energize the lamp to three different intensity levels by rotating the Rubik's cube activator to three different positions spaced at 90.degree. intervals from each other and to place the lamp in "off" condition when rotated to a fourth position.
Other objects, advantages and capabilities of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention.